Cities of Belgium: Grant Allen's Historical GuidesAllen, Grant
History
Cities of Belgium: Grant Allen's Historical Guides
Allen, Grant
Belgium -- Guidebooks
335. =Bernard van Orley= (transitional). Triptych (sawn in two), with
the Patience of Job inside, and Lazarus and Dives outside. In the
_centre panel_, the house falling upon the sons of Job. In the
background, Job and his comforters: his house in flames, etc. _Left
panel_, the flocks and herds of Job driven off by the Sabeans, with
Satan before the Almighty at the summit. _Right panel_, Job in his last
state more blessed than formerly: his comforters ask him to intercede
for them. Beyond this again, the outer shutters (the panels having been
sawn through): _extreme left_, Lazarus at the Rich Man’s gate; above,
his new-born soul borne aloft to Heaven. Below, cooks, servants, etc.
_Extreme right_, the Rich Man dying, attended by his physician (compare
the Dropsical Woman by Gerard Dou in the Louvre). Below, Dives in
Torments (in a very Flemish Hell) calling to Lazarus. Above, Lazarus in
Abraham’s bosom. This is a good characteristic example of the
=transitional period= between the early and later Flemish art, greatly
influenced by the Italian Renaissance. Van Orley travelled in Italy, and
imitated Raphael in composition and drawing.
Beyond it, attributed to Roger van der Weyden, 553 (3 panels arbitrarily
placed together). In the _centre panel_, two subjects. Left, the
Nativity, elements all conventional: ruined temple, shed, ox and ass
(extremely wooden), and St. Joseph in background. (He frequently bears a
candle in this scene in order to indicate that the time is night.)
Right, the Adoration of the Three Kings, old, middle-aged, young, the
last a Moor. St. Joseph examines, as often, the Old King’s gift. Note
his costume; it recurs in Flemish art. _Left panel_, Joseph of Arimathea
with the Crown of Thorns, Nicodemus with the three nails, St. John, and
the three Maries at the sepulchre. _Right panel_, Entombment, with the
same figures: the Crown of Thorns and nails in the foreground. Great
importance is always attached to these relics, preserved in the Sainte
Chapelle, and at Monza, near Milan.
350. =Patinier.= Repose on the Flight into Egypt, with fine landscape
background.
122. =Cranach= the Elder. Hard portrait of a very Scotch looking and
Calvinistic Elder.
10. Amberger; German School, 16th century; excellent portrait of a
gentleman; good beard.
569. Fine portrait of a man, by unknown artist. Flemish School, 16th
century.
Above these, 618, Flagellation and Ascension, German School, with gilt
backgrounds.
The _skied pictures_ on this wall are only interesting as specimens of
the later transitional period; when Flemish Art was aiming ill at
effects unnatural to it.
Continue along the wall in the same direction.
By the door, 557, *portrait of Johanna of Spain (the Mad), mother of
Charles V.: fine 15th century work.
531 and 532. Excellent old Flemish portraits.
Above these, 541, Scenes from the Life of the Virgin, with a donor. L.,
Nativity. Note the conventional elements. R., Circumcision. Above, Angel
and patron saints.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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